The Bezoar (BEE-zor) goat is the wild ancestor of the present-day domestic (tame) goat. Also called the “wild goat,” it lives in rocky mountain areas on Crete and other Greek islands, as well as in Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, and Turkmenistan.
The wild goat is a bovid, like cattle, sheep, and bison. This means that it has hooves that are split into two toes and permanent horns made with keratin (just like your fingernails) that grow all year long. The bovids are not to be confused with the family called cervids that includes deer, elk, and moose, which have branched antlers made of bone that fall off every year. Both male Bezoar goats (billies) and female (nannies) have horns that curve in an arc upwards and backwards from their heads, although the males’ horns are much larger and more impressive. Powerful, scary-looking horns are a definite advantage for males beause they get into huge fights over females during mating season.
This story is from the November/December 2017 edition of Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids.
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This story is from the November/December 2017 edition of Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids.
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